January, 1996: Women Speaking in the Church

For many people, especially in the developing "Christian feminist" movement, the question asked in the above title is not only astonishing but infuriating. Nonetheless, 1 Corinthians 14:33b"36 does seem to teach that women should not speak in church. But is that really what the passage teaches?

The Extent of the Passage

To the surprise of many, including a number who not too long ago prophesied our denomination's imminent demise, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church recently has experienced remarkable popularity. It seems the OPC has become "the church of choice" for an increasing company of inquiring Presbyterian and Reformed groups and individuals across the United States. We are amazed and grateful to God for the interest and zeal expressed by these people.

At the same time, we need to appreciate the opportunity that is ours. I mention this because we may not be taking full advantage of this opportunity. For example, for many years the word orthodox in our name has been thought by some to be a liability to the growth of the denominationso much so that a number of congregations have chosen not to include it in their names. Read more

An organization called Promise Keepers has been much in the news lately for attracting large crowds of men to its gatherings. But what is Promise Keepers (PK)?

PK is a parachurch movement that was founded five years ago by former football coach Bill McCartney. The first organized meeting in 1991 drew some 4,000 men. The following year there were 22,000. And this year there were 61,000 in the Minneapolis Metrodome aloneone of thirteen sites across the nation. Next year the number of meetings is expected to double, and there is talk of a million-man rally in Washington in 1997. Read more